Christianity made the "Devil" pure evil....?

[aidanbradypop]

So I was watching a program and heard an interesting report. Christianity produced the pure evil devil. When I did some research on the matter (I have to research everything ) I was surprised to find out that to be the case. All of our ancient religions never actually had a pure evil devil. From the Egyptians to the Sumerians, there was not actual devil figure like we have in our theology today. Every “god” of the ancient times could do either good or bad.

I believe the Jewish faith does not actually have the “devil” figure like Christianity. Am I correct? I have spoken with a Rabbi before and he stated that the “devil” actually works for God and tries to tempt mankind. That his the mission God gave him and he only does so because God commands such actions. He went on to state that Christianity invented the devil to scare people into believing in Christ and His message. It was Christianity that made all other beliefs “evil” if they were not in line with the Gospel.

I would love to hear from the Jewish members on the forum to either back up this account or tell me where the Rabbi is wrong.

Any pagan post would be helpful as well.

 

[Judas_Thaddeus]

So I was watching a program and heard an interesting report. Christianity produced the pure evil devil. When I did some research on the matter (I have to research everything ) I was surprised to find out that to be the case. All of our ancient religions never actually had a pure evil devil. From the Egyptians to the Sumerians, there was not actual devil figure like we have in our theology today. Every “god” of the ancient times could do either good or bad.

I believe the Jewish faith does not actually have the “devil” figure like Christianity. Am I correct? I have spoken with a Rabbi before and he stated that the “devil” actually works for God and tries to tempt mankind. That his the mission God gave him and he only does so because God commands such actions. He went on to state that Christianity invented the devil to scare people into believing in Christ and His message. It was Christianity that made all other beliefs “evil” if they were not in line with the Gospel.

I would love to hear from the Jewish members on the forum to either back up this account or tell me where the Rabbi is wrong.

Any pagan post would be helpful as well.

(Not Jewish)
I think Judaism does believe in evil spirits, however I don’t think THE DEVIL was so
explicitly believed in, but when Christ came, it became more evident that there was
indeed an evil force at work against mankind. People who say that Satan is actual-
ly working for God simply misinterprets his role in the Book of Job, but I believe the
Book of Revelations makes it clear that the Devil is “That Old Serpent” ( Rev. 20:2 ),
connected to the Serpent in Genesis who is responsible for the Fall of Man.

And when you say:

From the Egyptians to the Sumerians, there was not actual devil figure like we have in our theology today.

That is actually wrong, as the Egyptians did have Apep ( That Old Serpent? ),
and the dualistic Zoroastrians believed in two primary coeternal gods, the Evil
God being called Angra Mainyu (or Ahriman).

 

[aidanbradypop]

That is actually wrong, as the Egyptians did have Apep ( That Old Serpent? ),
and the dualistic Zoroastrians believed in two primary coeternal gods, the Evil
God being called Angra Mainyu (or Ahriman).

Apep was hated and feared by the Egyptians, but two of the Hyksos rulers chose his name as their coronation names (although they used a slightly different spelling).

Apep later became “a part” of Set. The Egyptians (I am simply an Anthropologist and not an Egyptologist) never really saw a certain god as being 100% pure evil such as we see Satan today.

 

[Judas_Thaddeus]

Apep was hated and feared by the Egyptians,
but two of the Hyksos rulers chose his name
as their coronation names (although they used
a slightly different spelling).
Apep later became “a part” of Set. The Egyptians (I am simply
an Anthropologist and not an Egyptologist) never really saw a
certain god as being 100% pure evil such as we see Satan today.

That’s mildly ironic of the Egyptians, seeing how Set is described as having a key role in
overcoming Apep, not that the Ancient Egyptian religion(s) were consistent anyway.
(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

Thanks by the way,
always fun learning
new things like that.
​

 

[aidanbradypop]

That’s mildly ironic of the Egyptians, seeing how Set is described as having a key role in
overcoming Apep, not that the Ancient Egyptian religion(s) were consistent anyway.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d4/Set_speared_Apep.jpg

Thanks by the way,
always fun learning
new things like that.
​

Very ironic that Set was to protect Ra from Apep but was later to become an enemy of Ra.

During the time tge Hyksos ruled lower Egypt, Set was their main god. Set became the evil god soon after the Hyksos were driven out and his position in the pantheon was pretty much dropped

 

[Rete]

Christ didn’t make Satan evil; Christ unmasked him to show us that he made himself an enemy of God.

Satan made himself pure evil in an act of free will, without any of the impediments that plague our lives, making such choices difficult. Having Heaven and eternal happiness, he chose Hell and murder. That’s pure evil.

 

[meltzerboy]

So I was watching a program and heard an interesting report. Christianity produced the pure evil devil. When I did some research on the matter (I have to research everything ) I was surprised to find out that to be the case. All of our ancient religions never actually had a pure evil devil. From the Egyptians to the Sumerians, there was not actual devil figure like we have in our theology today. Every “god” of the ancient times could do either good or bad.

I believe the Jewish faith does not actually have the “devil” figure like Christianity. Am I correct? I have spoken with a Rabbi before and he stated that the “devil” actually works for God and tries to tempt mankind. That his the mission God gave him and he only does so because God commands such actions. He went on to state that Christianity invented the devil to scare people into believing in Christ and His message. It was Christianity that made all other beliefs “evil” if they were not in line with the Gospel.

I would love to hear from the Jewish members on the forum to either back up this account or tell me where the Rabbi is wrong.

Any pagan post would be helpful as well.

The rabbi is correct that the devil (Lucifer) works for G-d according to Jewish teaching. Lucifer has three functions: one is as the tempter of our free will, a second is the Angel of Death, and a third is as the accuser in the heavenly court so that we can defend our lives before G-d Who passes sentence. It is the devil who executes the sentence. None of the angels–including Lucifer–has free will. That is reserved for humans. The part about why Christianity “invented” the evil devil is pure assumption on the part of the rabbi; I’m sure there are better reasons within Christian theology.

 

[Kaninchen]

Ahriman (Zoroastrianism) was very, very naughty.

 

[Steveabrous]

So I was watching a program and heard an interesting report. Christianity produced the pure evil devil. When I did some research on the matter (I have to research everything ) I was surprised to find out that to be the case. All of our ancient religions never actually had a pure evil devil. From the Egyptians to the Sumerians, there was not actual devil figure like we have in our theology today. Every “god” of the ancient times could do either good or bad.

I believe the Jewish faith does not actually have the “devil” figure like Christianity. Am I correct? I have spoken with a Rabbi before and he stated that the “devil” actually works for God and tries to tempt mankind. That his the mission God gave him and he only does so because God commands such actions. He went on to state that Christianity invented the devil to scare people into believing in Christ and His message. It was Christianity that made all other beliefs “evil” if they were not in line with the Gospel.

I would love to hear from the Jewish members on the forum to either back up this account or tell me where the Rabbi is wrong.

Any pagan post would be helpful as well.

I find it interesting that the criticism of Christianity knows no bounds. On one hand it is accussed of borrowing its theology of the virgin birth, crucifixion, and resurection from previous pagen gods which is completely false. Once you delve into the theologies of those gods you see vague similarities but thats it. But here it is being criticised for having a concept foriegn to other religions before it and therefore it must be made up. If there had been other religions that believed in the Devil as Christianity sees it, again, it would have been accussed of borrowing its theology.

Here is the answer. The full scope of the devil was not known until JESUS came and made it known.

 

[Judas_Thaddeus]

I find it interesting that the criticism of Christianity knows no bounds. On one hand it is accussed of borrowing its theology of the virgin birth, crucifixion, and resurection from previous pagen gods which is completely false. Once you delve into the theologies of those gods you see vague similarities but thats it. But here it is being criticised for having a concept foriegn to other religions before it and therefore it must be made up. If there had been other religions that believed in the Devil as Christianity sees it, again, it would have been accussed of borrowing its theology.

Here is the answer. The full scope of the devil was not known until JESUS came and made it known.

AMEN !!!

 

[aidanbradypop]

I find it interesting that the criticism of Christianity knows no bounds. On one hand it is accussed of borrowing its theology of the virgin birth, crucifixion, and resurection from previous pagen gods which is completely false. Once you delve into the theologies of those gods you see vague similarities but thats it. But here it is being criticised for having a concept foriegn to other religions before it and therefore it must be made up. If there had been other religions that believed in the Devil as Christianity sees it, again, it would have been accussed of borrowing its theology.

Here is the answer. The full scope of the devil was not known until JESUS came and made it known.

Nicely stated.